The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-08-31
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND
WORKING MEN.

No one denies that the Democratic party
from the first, always, without deviation
without variableness or shadow of turning.
has been the working mans party, and has
been profoundly interested in the welfare
of working men. The interest taht the
Democratic party has taken in the welfare
of working men, has not been spasmodic.
itful, variable, irregular, but steady, con-
slant and conscientious. We challenge the
record, every page luminous with the facts
as We state them. 1t could not, in the ma
ture of things, be otherwise. The great
majority of the Democratic party has al
ways been poor men, working men, not
millionaires, not aristocrats, not men who
accumulated wealth by monopolistic meth
DDS, railroad wTecking, land grabbing,
stock and bond gambling, land stealing &c.
Such things have distinguished the Rspub-
ican party and in other days, the Wing
party. Andrew Jackson saw the tendency
of the times, when he laid his magisterial
hand on the United States bank and crush
ed a stupendous monopoly.
The Democratic idea is the equitable
distribution of the wealth which labor cre-
ates. The Democratic party adopts the
declaration that all wealth, all revenues
are derived from labor, and this being true,
labor should be fairly remunerated. The
right of labor to organize to promote its
welfare, is not only conceded but advo-
Gated. Democrats believe that such organ
izations are prudential and in consonance
with Democratic policy and good govern
ment.
The question arises, what are the prime
objects of labor organizations? A general
reply would be the welfare of their mem.
bers. But, to be more specific, many of
the labor organizations are benevolent in
character-they are a kind of life and
health insurance associations. They issue
and pay death, disability, and sickness
policies. In many of these organizations
the most rigid examinations are practiced
only men Of good sound moral character
are initiated. The demand is that the
members shall be sober and industrious,
that they shall be skilled in their trade or
calling, that they shall appreciate the
weight and worth of their obligation and
shall be In all regards good citizens.
Manifestly these labor organizations are
profoundly interested in the matter of
wages. They demand fair pay for a fair
days work. To this the Democratic party
does not object-indeed, it is and has been
the battle cry OF the Democratic party-nor
is there anywhere on record a particle OF
evidence TO the contrary. To assume that
the Democratic party has at any time, any
where, been opposed to fair pay for fair,
honest work, is monstrous libel-kno WI
TO be such by all men who are capable oil
discussing labor problems.
| But it may be asked, who shall deter.
mine what is fair days work, and what
! is a fair price for fair days work? These
have been the serious questions, tbs diff
cult questions, and in settling them many
serious controversies have arisen-and it /:
useless to say they have been outside of the
domain of party politics. no xpoli
teal party ever sought to regu
late the price of labor = anC
moments reflection is sufi
cient to dismiss the proportion. Bui
there are instances where workingmen hay,
fixed the prices for their work, they hav,
selected their work, chosen the fields o
labor, and then selected the prices To-
which they would perform certain services
Having the kind OF work they perform
and receiving the wages which they av
determined as equitable, as also the tim
of payment, the question arises, IL tn
employer acceeds to these demands, ant
meets them promptly. what occasion i
there for complaint The Democrat
party, if it was continually in session
would be unable 10 discover grievance. l
would seem that in such cases entire har
mony should prevail between employee
and employe, or to use q common phrase
between capital and labor" 1t woulC
seem that woIkingmen themselves had de
termined what was their equitable share o
the wealth they created, and having de
termiDed that most vital OF all question
relating to labor it would seem that the
had achieved a notable victory.